Where the Heart Lives
by AmandaMarieJohnson333
Summary: Elizabeth Summers wasn't happy with her life. After her parents got divorced her father got custody of her and her sister, Dawn and got remarried. What happens when Elizabeth decides to make a change and runs away to live with her mother? Lots of Spuffyness (eventually)
1. Getting Out

Elizabeth Summers looked in the full length mirror. She had on a long, puffy party dress. Her family was sponsoring the annual Los Angeles banquet. Her long blonde hair was curled and left down. Her makeup was perfect. She looked beautiful, which was the only way she was permitted to look. In her family perfect was key. After her mother and father had gotten divorced and her mother moved to Sunnydale her father devoted his time to working and creating the perfect image. Elizabeth and her little sister Dawn lived with him, but rarely saw him because of his tight work schedule. He had married again, a noble woman named Francine Mills. Elizabeth and Dawn hated her, but neither her nor her father knew it.

"Lizzie, you ready?" Dawn asked as she came into Elizabeth's room.

"Yeah, I'm ready, how do I look?" Elizabeth asked.

"You look very pretty, what about me?" Dawn asked.

"Perfect" Elizabeth said and they walked downstairs together.

"Oh girls you look absolutely gorgeous, but um, Elizabeth, that isn't the right shade of eye shadow for that dress, do you have any other colors?" Francine asked.

"Yes, but I like this color Francine, I don't want to change it" Elizabeth said in the politest tone she could.

"Well I want this party to be perfect darling, and I can't exactly do that when you're looking all un matched now can I, go upstairs and change it, now" Francine said and went to talk to one of the guests.

"Ugh! I hate her" Elizabeth said to herself and walked into the kitchen to get a soda.

"Hello my dear, how are you this afternoon?" their maid Freda asked.

"I'm good Freda, what about you?" Elizabeth asked. Freda was the one person on her father's staff that she didn't absolutely hate. In face she was a good friend of Elizabeth's.

"I'm doing just fine sweetheart" Freda said with a smile. "Anything I can get you?"

"Um, I came in here for a diet soda, but you don't have to get it" Elizabeth said.

"Oh, no my dear it's no problem" Freda said and went to the fridge and got out a diet Dr. Pepper and handed it to Elizabeth.

"Thank you" Elizabeth said. Just then her father walked into the kitchen.

"Elizabeth, didn't your mother tell you to change the color of your makeup?" he asked sternly.

"She's not my mother" Elizabeth mumbled.

"What's that?" he asked.

"Nothing, um, I'll do it now" Elizabeth said and went upstairs and shut her bedroom door and laid on her bed in frustration. She hated Francine. He father didn't see the demon witch lady that Elizabeth and her sister did. He just saw, god she didn't even know what her father could possibly see in this woman. A couple minutes later Dawn came upstairs to join her big sister.

"Francine is looking for you" Dawn said.

"What now, my eyes aren't the right color? My hair? My height?" Elizabeth asked sarcastically.

"Not sure" Dawn said.

"You know, I just want to run away, go to Sunnydale and live with mom" Elizabeth. "I mean, do you realize that I don't have any real friends, I don't have a best friend I could talk to about anything."

"You have me" Dawn said and Elizabeth smiled at her.

"I know Dawnie" Elizabeth said. "You go; I'll be down in a second."

"Okay, but hurry before princess 'I have fake boobs and a fake hair color' comes up after you" Dawn said and Elizabeth smiled at her. Dawn left and Elizabeth looked in the mirror.

"There's nothing wrong with my eye shadow" she said to herself, but changed it anyway. she went back downstairs.

"Elizabeth, there you are, that's a lot better" Francine said, looking at Elizabeth's eye shadow. "This is Angel, the Mackenzie's son, Angel this is my step daughter Elizabeth."

"Hi" Angel said.

"Hey" Elizabeth said.

"Well you to mingle" Francine said and she left to talk to some other people.

"So, you go to Hemery High right?" Angel asked.

"Yeah" Elizabeth said.

"All girls school right?" he asked.

"Yes" Elizabeth said.

"You're a senior?" he asked.

"Yep, thank god" Elizabeth said with a smile.

"Hmm" Angel said.

"D-do you want something to drink, suddenly I'm very thirsty?" she asked.

"Yeah sure" he said and she went into the kitchen.

"Hey Freda, can I get two dinks please?" Elizabeth asked.

"Sure honey, what's the matter?" Freda asked.

"I'm just. . .I don't know" Elizabeth said.

"Well if you want to talk, I'm here okay" Freda said as she handed Elizabeth two glass of punch.

"Thanks" Elizabeth said and went back into the party area and gave the drink to Angel.

"Thanks" he said and she smiled. Soon the party was over and Elizabeth was getting ready for bed. She took a shower and dried her hair and put on her pajamas and got into bed. She laid there for a while, waiting until everyone was asleep. She had made a decision earlier this afternoon and she was going to stick by it. At about two in the morning she went and checked on everyone and they were all asleep. She packed a couple bags with clothes, makeup, shoes, her brush, curling iron, hair dryer and hot rollers and Mr. Gordo. After she was done packing she tiptoed down stairs and out the door and she was off. She left a note for Dawn. She hurried to the bus station to get a ticket to Sunnydale. She was off, and she wasn't turning back.

Dawn woke up at about eight the next morning to find a piece of paper on her dresser that read.

Dear Dawnie,

I'm sorry that I didn't wake you or tell you I was leaving. I just had to get out. I couldn't stand being here anymore. I'm going away, to find myself. To find a life I can live with. I love you, you have to know that. I'll call soon I promise.

I love you sweetie,  
Elizabeth

Dawn's mouth dropped as she dropped the letter and ran into Elizabeth's room. It wasn't a joke. She was really gone. Dawn's eyes filled with tears as she sat on her sister's bed. Where was she going?

"She really left me here" Dawn said to herself.


	2. Settling In

Elizabeth was sleeping. It had been a very long bus ride and she had fallen asleep, but was awakened when the bus driver announced the stop.

"All getting off for Sunnydale California" he said and Elizabeth woke quickly. She got off and gathered her things. She was in a strange place. She didn't know her way around, or anyone here, except her mother of course. She walked to a payphone and looked in the phonebook for her mother's address. She just hoped it was listed.

"Let's see, Summers, Joyce" Elizabeth said and found he address. "All right, 1630 Revello Drive." Elizabeth wrote the address on her hand and headed to her mother's house.

"She what!" Hank Summers asked in fury. "When?"

"I-I don't know. I woke up at about eight, and I found this note" Dawn said.

"Oh my god, Hank, she could be anywhere" Francine said.

Buffy got out of the cab that was stopped in front of her mother's house. She was very nervous. She hadn't seen her mother in over a year. She paid the cab driver and walked up the steps and knocked on the door and a girl, about her age answered.

"Can I help you?" she asked.

"Oh, I'm sorry, I thought that Joyce Summers lived here" Elizabeth said.

"She does, I'm Faith" Faith said.

"Hi, I'm Elizabeth, Joyce's daughter" Elizabeth said.

"Oh, uh, come in" Faith said and Elizabeth entered the house. "She's upstairs, um I'll be right back" Faith went upstairs and returned two minutes later with Joyce.

"Elizabeth, oh my god, what are you doing here?" Joyce asked and hugged Elizabeth.

"I want to live with you mom, I miss you" Elizabeth said.

"Does your father know you traveled all the way here?" Joyce asked.

"No, not exactly" Elizabeth said.

"Oh, oh my, uh come, sit, I have to call your father" Joyce said.

"No! please don't, I don't want to go back there" Elizabeth said.

"Honey has something happened?" Joyce asked.

"No, well, I just. . .I hate it there, please mom, I miss you, I want to live with you, please, I'm almost eighteen, I think I can make my own decisions, please?" Elizabeth begged.

"Okay honey, all right" Joyce said and Elizabeth hugged her.

"Thank you mom, and please, don't call dad for a while, okay" Elizabeth said.

"Okay, Elizabeth honey, this is Faith, Michael's daughter" Joyce said.

"Who's Michael?" Elizabeth asked.

"My fiancé" Joyce said.

"Oh, wow" Elizabeth said.

"Faith, sweetie, will you show Elizabeth around?" Joyce asked.

"Sure" Faith said. "Come on." She and Elizabeth went upstairs. "This is my room, um you can stay in here if you want, we have a spare bedroom, but it's filled with boxes and stuff so. . ."

"Thanks" Elizabeth said.

"Girls I'm going out for a while so be good" Joyce said.

"Okay Joyce" Faith said.

"Bye mom" Elizabeth said and Joyce left.

"So, do you go by any other name, a nickname?" Faith asked.

"Not really" Elizabeth said. "I haven't found one I like."

"Well, let's just see" Faith said and got on the Internet. "Okay Elizabeth, Liz, Lizzie, Eliza, Beth, Bethany, Betty, Betsy, Buffy, hey Buffy that's cool" Faith said.

"Buffy, I like it, Buffy Summers, cool" she said.

"Okay, so you're Buffy" Faith said.

"Yep" Buffy said. "So, how long have your dad and my mom been dating?"

"About seven months, they've been engaged for about two months, the wedding's next May" Faith said.

"I had no idea" Buffy said.

"So, you'll start school here then, Sunnydale is pretty boring, um, you can hang with me and mine" Faith said.

"Okay, thanks" Buffy said.

"Actually, if you want, I'm meeting them for lunch, do you want to go?" Faith asked.

"Sure" Buffy said.

"Okay, well I'm going to get ready, um, you can put your stuff anywhere" Faith said and went into the bathroom. Buffy put her things down and sat on Faith's bed. She was here. Her mother was letting her stay, this was great, but she missed Dawn so much. She had wished that she brought her with her, but she couldn't go back now. After about ten minutes Faith came out of the bathroom. "You ready?"

"Yeah" Buffy said and they left. They met Faith's friends at this café.

"Hey guys" Faith said. There were about nine people there.

"Hi" A girl with red hair said.

"B, these are my friends, this is Willow" Faith said and the red-head smiled and waved. "That's her girlfriend Tara." She pointed to the girl with light brown hair sitting next to Willow. "This is Xander and his girlfriend Anya." She pointed to one the guys that was sitting there, the one with dark brown hair and the blonde haired woman sitting next to him, they both smiled. "This is Gunn and his girlfriend Fred." She pointed towards a cute black guy and a pretty light browned hair woman next to him. "This is Cordelia and Oz, they're not together" Faith said and pointed to a girl with dark brown hair and a guy with red hair like Willow's. "And this is Spike." She pointed to a guy with blonde hair and in all black. "Guys this is my soon-to-be step sister Buffy."

"Hey luv, nice to meet you" Spike said in an English accent.

"Hi" Buffy said. Spike pulled up a chair for her and she sat down.

"So, B is gonna hang with us, that okay?" Faith asked.

"Sure, welcome to the group" Xander said.

"Okay, Buffy, what do you want to eat?" Willow asked. "Our treat, a sort of 'welcome to Sunnydale'."

"Oh, you don't have to-" Buffy began.

"It's really no trouble" Tara interrupted.

"Um, okay, a cheeseburger I guess" Buffy said.

"Cheeseburger it is luv" Spike said and ordered for her.

"So, Buffy, what brings you to Sunnydale?" Cordelia asked.

"Um, well I was living with my dad in L.A. but I hated it there, I hate my dad's new wife Francine, I just had to get out of there" Buffy said. "I feel bad though, I should have taken my little sister with me."

"You have a sister?" Faith asked.

"Yeah, she's ten, her name's Dawn" Buffy said.

"Hmm" Faith said. After they were done eating the rest of the gang went their way and Buffy and Faith went back home to find Buffy's mom and Faith's dad making out on the couch.

"Dad" Faith said.

"Mom" Buffy said.

"We really do not need to see that" Faith said.

"Hey, we were here first" Michael said.

"Did you girls have a good time?" Joyce asked.

"Yeah, it was fine" Faith said and then took Buffy by the elbow. "Come on B, let's go get some popcorn and go upstairs. They both went into the kitchen.

"B?" Joyce asked to herself and then followed Faith and Buffy into the kitchen. "Who's B?"

"Buffy is" Faith said.

"Who's Buffy?" Joyce asked.

"Me" Buffy said. "Faith got on the Internet and found nicknames for Elizabeth and I liked Buffy the best, it's cool huh?"

"Yeah, cool" Joyce said a little confused. After making the popcorn Faith and Buffy got two sodas and went upstairs to watch a movie. They fell asleep there and were awakened by Joyce.

"Girls, wake up" she said. "Buffy I'm signing you up today, so come one girls we're going to be late."

"We're up" Faith said and Joyce left. "So, B, it's your first day at Sunnydale high, you exited?" Faith asked.

"Yeah" Buffy said.

"What's wrong, I know that you just met me, but technically I'm your sister, so you can talk to me" Faith said.

"I miss Dawn" she said.

"Why don't you call her" Faith said.

"I would, but if I call I'm going to have to talk to my dad or Francine, and I don't want to" Buffy said.

"Did one of them do something to you?" Faith asked.

"No, they were just, they just are, to wrapped up in their lives to pay any attention" Buffy said.

"Oh" Faith said.

"Well, let's get ready, I just hope I don't get too lost" Buffy said.

"Don't worry, I'll show you around" Faith said. After getting dressed the girls went downstairs to where Joyce and Michael were drinking coffee.

"Okay, hurry up and eat and then I'll take you to school" Joyce said. They ate breakfast and then got their stuff and Joyce drove them to school and signed Buffy up with her schedule exactly like Faith's. after doing that she went home and the girls went to class.

Dawn was sitting in class wondering where Buffy was. And then she remembered something. Before Buffy left she told her that she wanted to go live with their mother. Maybe she was in Sunnydale.

"Dawn?" the teacher asked.

"Yes Mrs. Tyson?" Dawn asked.

"Are you all right, the bell rang?" she asked.

"Oh, yeah, I'm fine, sorry" Dawn said and got her stuff and left. She went to the cafeteria to meet her friends.

"Hey Dawnie" Keri said.

"Hey" Dawn said.

"Is something wrong?" Myra asked.

"I miss Elizabeth" Dawn said.

"You're sister? Where did she go?" Tyler asked.

"I'm not sure, I think she went to Sunnydale" Dawn said.

"Why?" Keri asked.

"Because that's where my mom lives" Dawn told her.

"So, we should go to the Bronze tonight, no cover charge" Xander said.

"What's the Bronze?" Buffy asked.

"Oh, it's this club at the corner of Berkley and Hyde, it's pretty much the only thing to do here, but it's cool, do you want to go?" Faith asked.

"Sure" Buffy said.

"Cool, everyone else joining?" Faith asked.

"I'm in" Xander said.

"Me too" Anya said.

"Ditto" Cordelia said.

"Spike?" Faith asked.

"Sure" Spike said.

"Gunn, Fred, Oz?" Faith asked.

"Yep" Gunn said.

"Sure" Fred said.

"I'm in" Oz said.

"All right, see you all tonight at eight, B and I gotta roll, see ya" Faith said and drug Buffy away.

"Thanks Faith, for everything, for being my friend so quickly, and for. . .everything" Buffy said.

"No problem" Faith said as they entered their class.

Dawn opened the door to her home and walked inside. She went straight up to her room and got on the Internet and searched for Joyce Summers. She found her phone number and then wrote it down and put the paper in her pocket and went downstairs.

"Hi Freda" she said.

"Hello darling, how are you?" Freda asked.

"I miss Elizabeth" Dawn said sitting down.

"I know you do sweetie, me too, I wish I knew where she went" Freda said.

"Yeah, me too" Dawn said. "Um, is it okay if I go to a friend's house, I'll be back before dinner?" Dawn asked.

"Sure, be careful" Freda said.

"Thanks" Dawn said and left and went to the nearest payphone and dialed the number she had written on the paper.

"Hello?" came a man's voice into the phone.

"Hi, is Elizabeth Summers there?" Dawn asked hopefully.

"Uh, yes she is, who's calling?" the man asked.

"It's her sister Dawn" Dawn said.

"One moment please" the man said and put down the phone and a couple minutes later Buffy came to the phone.

"Hello?" Buffy said.

"Elizabeth!" Dawn said happily.

"Dawnie, oh my god how are you?" Buffy asked just as happy.

"I'm fine, I miss you, why did you go?" Dawn asked.

"I had to Dawnie, I couldn't stay there anymore" Buffy said.

"Oh, why didn't you take me with you?" Dawn asked.

"I'm sorry Dawnie, I just wasn't thinking, I'm really sorry, and I miss you so much" Buffy said.

"Me too" Dawn said. "Look I only have one quarter, and I think my time's about to run out. Please just come home" Dawn said.

"Dawnie I can't I-" Buffy began, but she heard a clicking noise and then a dial tone. "Dawnie? Dawnie!" she said.

"Elizabeth? No, Elizabeth are you there?" Dawn asked, but she wasn't. she hung up the phone disappointed and walked back home.

"Dawn are you there? Dawnie?" Buffy tried but no one was there. She hung up the phone and sighed.

"Who was that?" Faith asked, coming down the stairs and sitting next to Buffy on the couch.

"My sister" Buffy said.

"What did she say?" Faith asked.

"She uh…she called to say, 'hey'" Buffy said. "She asked why I left, why I left her behind."

"Are you all right?" Faith asked.

"Yeah, yeah, I'm fine" Buffy sighed.

"Okay, do you want to start getting ready for the Bronze, if you don't want to go tonight I'll understand" Faith said.

"No, it's okay, uh, I'll be just a couple minutes" Buffy said.

Dawn walked home slowly. She was happy that she talked to Buffy, but sad that she couldn't see her. She walked through the back door of her home and Francine was sitting at the kitchen table writing.

"Oh Dawn, there you are" she said.

"Yeah, why, what's wrong?" Dawn asked.

"Nothing, your father and I have got an idea on where your sister is" Francine said.

"R-really? Where?" Dawn asked.

"Well your mother lives in Sunnydale right? Well we think that Elizabeth might have gone there" Francine said.

"Oh" Dawn said.


	3. Not Going Back

Buffy finished getting ready for the Bronze. A lot had happened in just a day and a half. She left L.A. to be with her mother. She moved in with her mother. She has a step sister and friends, and she's going to a club. Wow, this was turning out to be pretty great. She just wished that Dawn was there with her.

"B, you ready?" Faith asked as she knocked on the bathroom door.

"Yeah" Buffy said, coming out of the bathroom wearing a light brown pair of pants and an off white sweater to match.

"Love the outfit" Faith said.

"Thanks, you too" Buffy said looking at what Faith was wearing. A pair of black leather pants and a red and black peasant top to match.

"Thanks, you ready?" Faith asked.

"Yeah, let's do it" Buffy said. They walked downstairs together and grabbed their jackets.

"We're out of here" Faith said.

"Okay, be careful" Joyce said.

"And be home by midnight" Michael said.

"Will do, see ya" Faith said and they left.

Dawn laid in her bed holding the letter from Buffy. She looked at it for a moment and then went over and put it in her jewelry box. Just then her father knocked on her door and then opened it.

"Dawnie, can I come in?" he asked.

"Yeah, sure" Dawn said.

"How are you doing?" he asked.

"I'm okay, I mean I miss Elizabeth, but. . .I'm fine" Dawn said.

"Well, Francine and I think that-" Hank began.

"That Elizabeth's in Sunnydale, I know, Francine told me. Are you going there?" Dawn asked.

"Well we're going to call first, we tried her number a while ago, but there was no answer. We want to make sure that it's the right house, and that Elizabeth is there before we go there" Hank said.

"Oh" was all Dawn said.

"Dawnie, princess, are you okay?" Hank asked.

"Yeah, I just miss Elizabeth" Dawn said.

"I know sweetheart; it'll be okay" Hank said. "Well, I'll leave you alone now, dinner will be ready in an hour." With that he left her room and shut the door.

Buffy and Faith arrived at the Bronze and Buffy followed Faith to where their table was. Everyone else was there and they sat down.

"Yo" Faith said.

"Hey, Faith, about time" Xander said.

"Hey, just because you can get ready in two minutes doesn't mean it's sanitary" Faith joked. "You all remember Buffy, my step-sister."

"Yeah, sure we do, what's up" Xander said.

"Nothin' much, uh, I'm in dance mood, anyone want to join?" Buffy asked.

"I think I can do with some dancing" Spike said.

"Cool" Buffy said and she and Spike went out onto the dance floor and began to dance.

"Come on guys" Faith said and everyone else went out onto the dance floor also. Ten minutes later everyone was back at the table.

"God I'm starved" Gunn said.

"Me too, it's funny how dancing gives you the munchies" Fred said. "Buffy are you hungry?"

"Yeah, I could eat something" Buffy said.

"I got it" Spike said. "What do you want luv, anything you want is yours."

"Thanks, uh. . .a muffin and a cappuccino" Buffy said.

"Delicate, I like it, what kind of muffin and cappuccino?" Spike asked.

"Uh. . .a blueberry muffin and a French vanilla cappuccino" Buffy said.

"Got it" Spike said and went up to the bar followed by the rest of the guys. The girls were left to talk.

"B, I think Spike likes you" Faith said.

"No, he couldn't, could he?" Buffy asked.

"Why not?" Willow asked.

"I don't know; doesn't he have a girlfriend?" Buffy asked.

"Nope, he did, Drusilla, she was. . .well she was a crazy freak" Cordelia said.

"Yeah, he broke up with her a while ago" Tara said.

"How long ago?" Buffy asked.

"Three months ago, she already has another boyfriend, his name is Dave or something" Anya said.

"Oh" Buffy said.

"Do you like him?" Faith asked.

"I don't know, I mean he's cute, really cute, I just don't know him that well" Buffy said.

"Well that's why you get to know him" Cordelia said and the guys came back.

"Here ya go ladies, thanks and kisses are in order" Xander joked.

"Thank you" Anya said and kissed Xander on the lips.

"Thanks" Buffy said to Spike.

"No problem luv" Spike said.

"Hey, you wanna dance?" a guy asked Faith.

"Sure" Faith said and went out onto the dance floor with him.

"Come on Oz, let's dance" Cordelia said and pulled him onto the dance floor.

"Let's all go" Xander said.

"Do you wanna dance?" Spike asked Buffy.

"Sure" she said. The rest of the gang followed Faith, Cordelia and Oz. A slow song was on and Willow and Tara, Xander and Anya, Fred and Gunn, Faith and the guy she met, Cordelia and Oz and Buffy and Spike were all dancing together.

"So, tell me, what was your life like in L.A.?" Spike asked.

"Boring, fancy, so not what I wanted" Buffy said.

"Oh, you're not the fancy dress wearing type then?" he asked with a smirk.

"I wear dresses, sexy, cute, up-to-date dresses, not the ones you'd be buried in, no" Buffy said and Spike laughed.

"Well that's good" he said. "You know I like that you made the decision to leave L.A. and come here, it worked out good for me" Spike said and Buffy blushed. "What, I didn't embarrass you did I?" he teased.

"No" she smiled.

"Good, 'cause I'm serious" he said.

Dawn sat at the dinner table moving the food around that was on her plate with her fork. She couldn't eat. She didn't have an appetite. She just played with the mashed potatoes, green beans, broccoli and chicken that were on her plate. She had barely taking two bites.

"Dawn, darling, you're not eating" Francine said. 'Wow you're really perceptive' Dawn thought.

"I'm just not hungry" Dawn said quietly, not looking at Francine or her father.

"What's the matter princess?" Hank asked.

"I want to see Elizabeth" Dawn said.

"Well I'm going to call the number I have after dinner again and see if anyone answers" Hank said. "If Elizabeth's there, we'll go and bring her home."

"Is she in trouble, I mean are you mad at her?" Dawn asked.

"Yes we are, she shouldn't have left, we hope she's okay and we're worried about her, but we're very angry with her" Hank said.

"What are you gonna do to her, I-I mean if you find her?" Dawn asked.

"Well we'll make her come home and we'll ground her" Francine said.

"What if she refuses to come home?" Dawn said.

"We'll cross that bridge when we come to it" Hank said. "Now eat up okay."

Buffy tossed and turned in her bed. She couldn't get to sleep. She felt so sad. She felt horrible for leaving Dawn. It wasn't like her father was mean to them or anything, but she knew that Dawn would have wanted to come with her. Buffy flipped over again and then sighed with frustration and sat up. She was so tired, but couldn't fall asleep. Then she started thinking about Spike, what he had said to her. She defiantly liked him, and he defiantly seemed to like her. Maybe there was something there. She felt a smile come over her as she continued thinking of the bleached blonde. She felt her eye lids becoming heavy and finally fell asleep.

The next morning Buffy woke up to the sound of the phone ringing. She heard the voice of her mother answering the phone. Without really thinking about the conversation she got out of bed and made her way downstairs to the kitchen where Faith was already awake and eating cereal.

"Hey B" Faith said.

"Hey" Buffy said in a sleepy voice and poured herself some cereal. Joyce came into the kitchen and the look on her face told Buffy something was wrong. "Mom, what's wrong?"

"Elizabeth- I mean, Buffy, y-your father's on the phone, he knows you're here" Joyce said and Buffy's heart jumped.

"Tell him I'm not" Buffy said.

"I can't sweetie, by law he has custody, you have to talk to him, I'm sorry" Joyce said and Buffy got up and walked to the phone, her heart beating very quickly.

"H-hello?" she said into the phone.

"Elizabeth, is that you?" Hank asked.

"Y-yeah dad, it's me" Buffy said. "And it's Buffy now."

"What in the hell do you think you're doing young lady?" Hank asked, very mad.

"Dad I couldn't stay there, I had to leave, I wanted to be with mom, I like it here and I'm not going back" Buffy said.

"Oh yes you are, I'm coming to get you and I'm bringing you home" Hank said.

"No, I'm not going, you can't make me!" Buffy yelled. "Just leave me alone!"

"Elizabeth, I will be there tonight, and I expect you to be packed and ready to go" Hank said.

"I'm not going!" Buffy yelled and hung up the phone. "Mom please, don't make me go, I'm not leaving."

"Honey, I can't make that decision, you and your sister have lived with your father for almost eight years, I might get into trouble with the police if I refuse to let you to" Joyce said.

"Mom, I'm going to be eighteen in like three months. Please, I don't want to go back" Buffy pleaded.

"Baby I'm sorry, but if your father wants to take you back home, you're going to have to go with him" Joyce said and walked away. Buffy could feel her eyes filling with tears. She didn't want to go back. She did miss her sister very much, but her life was here not. She didn't want to go back. She ran out of the house and ran to the only place she knew.


	4. Hanging On

Buffy stood outside of the Bronze not really knowing what she was doing there. The pace wasn't open yet and there was no one around, but she just had to get away for a while. She couldn't believe her mother was going to let her father take her back home. All she knew was that she wasn't going back and he couldn't make her. What was he going to do, knock her out and drag her home? She could feel tears starting to fall again and she sighed, sitting on the curb outside of the club. She buried her head in her hands, resting on her knees and began to cry.

"Buffy?" she heard Spike say and looked up quickly, wiping the tears away. "You okay, luv?"

"I'm fine" Buffy attempted a fake smile, but he wasn't buying it and she knew it.

"So you just cry for no reason?" he asked, sitting next to her on the curb. "Look, we don't know each other very well and obviously you don't have to talk to me, but…I'm a good listener if you wanna talk." She smiled at him again, but this time it was a real one.

"My dad's gonna try to make me go back to L.A." she told him after a couple beats of silence. "I don't wanna go back there, Spike, I don't."

"Did something happen there? I mean, did your father ever…hurt you?" he asked, careful not to cross the line by prying too much.

"No, god, no, nothing like that. He's just…he cares more about working and Francine than me and my sister. I hate Francine so much, and she obviously hates us" Buffy told him. "I wanna stay here. I've missed my mother terribly and I like it here. I like Faith and the gang…and I like you." He looked at her and she began to regret her statement. "I-I mean—"

"I like you too, pet" he cut her off. "I told you that already." He gave her a little smirk and she smiled.

"I don't wanna go back there." He put his arm around her, allowing her to lay her head on his shoulder.

"It's gonna be okay, luv" he comforted her.

"How? I mean if I refuse to go back with them—which I'm going to—I don't know what my father's gonna do. I don't know if he could have my mother arrested for kidnapping, even though I'm almost eighteen. He has a lot of money and many lawyers and I'm just…scared" Buffy said.

"Come on, Goldilocks" he said, getting up and pulling her up as well.

"Wait, where are we going?" she asked him as she began to follow him to his car.

"I'm gonna show you a good time" Spike said and smirked when he saw the look on Buffy's face. "A good day I mean. If, for some reason, your father does make you go back to L.A. with him then I won't have a chance to ask you out. This way we both win, you get your mind off of your problems and I get to spend the day with a beautiful woman." She couldn't help but blush, but she was smiling too. She couldn't believe that he was being so sweet to her. He opened up the passenger car door for her and gestured that she get in. "After you, luv."

"Okay" she smiled, getting in the car. He shut her door and went around to the driver's side, getting in as well and starting the car. "Where are we going?"

"Have you eaten yet?" he asked.

"No" Buffy told him.

"Then we're off to breakfast" he said, continuing to drive. "Where would you like to eat?"

"Anywhere I guess" she said. She didn't know what was around, but wasn't too picky. Spike pulled into the parking lot of an iHop and parked. "Ooh, I love this place."

"Good" Spike said, getting out and opening her door for her. They walked into the restaurant together and were seated by the hostess and given menus.

"Can I start you off with something to drink?" the waitress, who's name tag read Molly, asked.

"Coffee please and some milk" Spike said.

"Um…some coffee and some orange juice please" Buffy told the waitress who nodded and wrote down their drink orders.

"I'll give you a couple minutes to decide on your meal and I'll be back with your drinks" Molly said and left.

An hour later they had eaten, Spike paid the bill and they were back in his car driving again. She had called her mother to tell her she was with Spike and Joyce told her to be safe and have fun. She also added that her father would be there at six that evening and to be back by then.

"How was your breakfast?" Spike asked as they drove.

"Amazing, thank you" Buffy told him and he nodded. She felt really comfortable with him, like she'd known him for years instead of days. "So, where are we going now?"

"There's somewhere I wanna show you, it's a surprise" Spike told her as he turned off the main road onto a gravel road. He pulled through a short wooded area and then stopped once the trees cleared. Once again, after getting out, he opened Buffy's door for her. Buffy looked around confused.

"Where are we?" she asked as he took her hand to lead her over to a small cliff. She was a little nervous and hesitated a bit.

"It's okay, this is my favorite place in the city, the view is amazing" he told her, gently pulling her towards the cliff. There was a barrier along the edge so that people wouldn't fall over. Buffy looked around in awe. This was a totally different view of the city and it was absolutely beautiful.

"Wow" she breathed, taking in her surroundings.

"Yeah, it's better at night, but it's still pretty brilliant" Spike told her, leaning on the metal barrier. He looked over at her and saw a tear running down her cheek. "Did I upset you?"

"No, no of course not" Buffy told him. "You're…incredible." He gave her a small smile.

"You're the incredible one, luv" he told her. They both turned to face each other. She looked into his eyes and moved to his lips. Wow, those were some nice lips. She wanted so badly to kiss him, but wouldn't dare make the first move. She saw his eyes moving from her eyes to her lips, back and forth a couple times as he leaned over, brushing his lips against hers softly. That's all Buffy needed. As he began to pull away, she deepened the kiss, pulling him closer to her. Her tongue danced across the part in his lips, begging for entry and he happily obliged, opening his mouth and touching her tongue with his. He heard a moan escape from her as they continued the fiery kiss. After a minute or so he broke the kiss for much needed air.

"Wow" was all he managed to say.

"Oh my god, I'm sorry" she said, looking mortified. What had come over her?

"Don't be, luv, that was an amazing kiss" he told her, smirking at her embarrassment. "I like your enthusiasm."

"I don't know what came over me" she told him, seemingly trying to justify herself to him.

"Hey, you can kiss me like that anytime" he told her, half joking, half serious. She smiled at him.

"Thank you for today. It may not seem like much to you, but…it means a lot to me" Buffy told him.

"Do you think you might wanna…" he trailed off, not sure how to ask her what he wanted to ask her.

"I might wanna what?" she asked him.

"I know we just met and all, but…I don't know, would you wanna maybe see how things go with us?" he asked her.

"Are you asking me out?" she asked.

"It depends" he told her.

"On what? You're either asking me out or you're not" she joked.

"On if you say yes or no" he told her. She couldn't believe how insecure he seemed to be feeling. He usually seemed so confident.

"Yeah, I think we could do that" Buffy finally said. His expression changed from nervousness to excitement and his eyes lit up.

"Okay, good then" he told her. They sat there for a couple beats of silence before Buffy looked back at Spike.

"I just wish I was eighteen already and no one could tell me what to do" she told him with a sigh. He put his arm around her and she laid her head on his shoulder. Even though they had only known each other a few short days, she felt incredibly comfortable with him and the more time they spent together the more comfortable she felt.

"Look, luv, if—god forbid—your pop forces you back to L.A. it won't be long before you turn eighteen, right?"

"Three months."

"Okay, well…no matter what happens, I'm here for you. And if you have to go back to your father's house then I guess I'll just be waiting until you turn eighteen and come back to me." She smiled though her head was still on his shoulder.

"I just hope he sees I'm serious about staying and gives up and leaves me a lone" Buffy said. "Although…"

"Although…?" Spike asked.

"I don't know how I'm going to get my sister here. Even if he gives up the fight about taking me back with him there's no way he's gonna let Dawn come here" Buffy told him. "Either way I lose. I either get to stay here without my sister or go back to where my sister is and be miserable." Spike stroked her arm with his thumb.

"We'll figure out somethin, luv" he promised her. She sighed and stood up, walking a couple steps forward before looking at her watch and turning around.

"Well, it's almost one o'clock. What do you wanna do now?" she asked him as he stood up also.

"You wanna come see my apartment?" she raised her eyebrow at his question. What did he think they were gonna do there? "I didn't mean for…I just mean to hang out."

"Sure" she said after he clarified what he meant. Spike nodded and they both got into his car and he headed toward his place.


End file.
